Entertainment

Salamanca is a city of many faces: cultural, monumental, dedicated to the service industry, university-oriented (with two universities and almost 40,000 students) and home to cattle breeders and matadors alike. With the beauty of its characteristic Villamayor sandstone buildings and plenty of nightlife, the city offers something for everyone at any time of day or night.

Art Exhibits

As a center of culture, the city is home to many forms of artistic expression exhibited at galleries and museums. The most important of these, such as San Eloy, which holds the best national and international collections, and La Salina, are all well-known for their dedication to promoting art in the city. Other important venues include the Patio de Escuelas and the Varrón, Galería Reyes Católicos and Ateneo galleries. But without doubt, Salamanca´s greatest works of art can be found along the streets in the Old Quarter, lined with monumental buildings made from golden Villamayor sandstone. You could spend hours just contemplating Plaza Mayor or the domes of either the New Cathedral or the Old Cathedral. Then there is Casa de las Conchas, housing the municipal library, the Clerecía (or Espíritu Santo Church), the famous Universidad de Salamanca façade with its much-sought-after frog, and the Universidad Pontificia.

Other must-visits include the collection of dolls and curious objects found in the Museo Art Nouveau y Art Decó -housed in the beautiful Casa Lis-, the Masonic Lodge, the collection of clocks found in Colegio Fonseca, personal items and archives belonging to renowned writer and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno in his House and Museum, and, last but not least, the old manuscripts found in the Museo de San Esteban.

The Salamanca Museum (Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes), the Santa Clara Museum and the Museo de Historia de la Ciudad (dedicated to the city´s history) house collections narrating Salamanca´s most important events. The Museo Taurino also features an interesting collection on bullfighting, a very important and deeply-rooted tradition in Salamanca.

Cinema

Salamanca has an increasing number of cinemas for film buffs. Cines Van Dyck is the most well-known, with six screens, and there are an additional four in the Van Dyck Joven cinema, which organizes marathon film fests. Multicines Salamanca features blockbuster films on its six screens, while Cines Bretón offers independent and original language movies on four screens. There is also the Filmoteca and the Teatro Auditorio de Caja Duero, which organize film series on specific directors, actors, documentaries and shorts. Music

Salamanca does not have a plethora of music venues, but there are a couple of important ones: the Palacio de Congresos, for classic opera and zarzuela (Spanish opera) or pop and rock concerts, and the Auditorio de Caja Duero. But the large number of stages found in numerous bars throughout town, such as El Corrillo (for jazz and soul), The Irish Rover (for up and coming Irish and Spanish groups), and Camelot (dedicated to Spanish rhythms) compensates for the lack of major venues.

Theater

Salamanca is rapidly growing in terms of theater space available, especially for new companies. These venues include Pizarrales and Miraltormes, two cultural centers. For large-scale productions with an international focus, one option is the stage found in the courtyard of Colegio del Arzobispo Fonseca (Los Irlandeses).

Nightlife

Bordadores District

This is one of the most central neighborhoods in the city with a lot of options for going out, such as bars like Pub Tino's, Camelot (with a fun Medieval ambience), Gatsby, or Trastevere (famous for good music).

Centro

In just a few years, this area has become a popular nightspot. It contains fun spots like Birdland, El Callejón (with great theme parties) and Cafe Musical (where the city's "beautiful people" tend to gather). You´ll also find lots of bars renowned for their tapas and pinchos, such as Bambú.

Old Quarter

This area is famous for its monuments, but there are other possibilities especially suited to taking a break from sightseeing as well. You can have a coffee at El Principal or a piece of cake at Alcaraván. After nightfall, however, Salamanca becomes a little more Irish at The Irish Rover, with its flock of university students and multicultural atmosphere. San Justo

For more "alternative" options, check out the area surrounding small Plaza de San Justo, where various "urban tribes" hang out; whether punk, grunge, hippie or indie, they're all here. Popular spots include Sargento Pipper´s, with a carefree atmosphere, and artsy Sol.

Plaza Mayor

This is the best spot to begin your night out grazing on tapas, beer and wine. There are lots of options on any of the small streets around the square, such as Pino or Belle Epóque, both of which are located on Paseo de Carmelitas. This street is surrounded by what´s known as Plaza de los Litros (Litre Square), where many bars compete to attract folks for that all-important first drink.